A family barricaded themselves in their home as a neighbour armed with knives threatened to kill them, a court heard. Daniel Smith is said to have shouted racist abuse and English Defence League slogans as he smashed his way into the Thornhill Lees home.
Yesterday, victim Waaqas Ahmed said: “He was like a vicious animal against his prey, lunging. It’s a miracle I didn’t get hurt.”
Leeds Crown Court heard the attack on August 26, 2011, was the culmination of a long-running dispute between Smith’s girlfriend and their neighbours in Victoria Road.
Prosecutor Christopher Tehrani said Smith started a fight in the street with two of his neighbour’s brothers at around 7.30pm. When the fight was broken up, the brothers went into their sister’s house and locked the front door.
Soon after, Smith, 38, arrived armed with two knives and a screwdriver. Jurors saw mobile phone footage of him banging at the door and making threats.
Zubair Yasin said: “Everyone was on their phones calling the police. My little niece was screaming, my sister was crying. We could not imagine how this could be happening in our own home.”
Mr Tehrani said the family wedged an ironing board against the door, but Smith forced his way in. He threatened family members one-by-one with a knife.
Junaid Azad’s arm was cut when he tried to protect his sister. “It was pandemonium,” he said. Mr Azad said he defended himself and his family with a broom handle and exercise bar, and threw a milkshake at Smith.
Smith denies assault by beating and aggravated burglary.